-
- Excellent
focus
- Bo basics are
always was the first order of the day at any Tesshinkan
camp. Here Cathy Quinn, who also holds the rank of San
Dan (FSKA) in Shotokan Karate, remains fully focused
during the morning bo basics. These drills are comprised
of a series of ten bo basics, done ten times each, on
both the left and the right side. Since these basic bo
movements are found throughout all of the bo katas we
were about to practice, accuracy was essential at all
times. Forty-five minutes later the bo basics had been
completed, everyone was well warmed up, and we moved on
to the bo katas, Shushi No Kun Sho, for
the kyu belts, and Sakagawa No Kun Sho, for the Yudansha.
-
-
- Attention
to detail
- Under Sensei
Tamayose's watchful gaze students are constantly striving
to improve. As alway each aspect of their bo basics and
their bo katas are constantly being analyzed, adjusted,
and corrected when needed. Here Sensei Tamayose explains
to Cathy Quinn exactly how things should be, and why.
-
-
- Ni
Dan in his sights
- Sempai Mac Newton (Shodan)
knows the pressure is on and as Sensei Tamayose keeps a
very close eye on his technique as Mac goes through the
bo kata, Sakagawa No Kun Sho, that he needs for his
upcoming Ni Dan grading on Sunday evening. Performing any
kata while under Sensei Tamayose's close scrutiny
certainly makes you do your best, as I am sure Sempai Mac
will attest to.
-
-
- Katharine
is all business
- It does not matter
what she is working at, karate basics, kata, kumite, or
kobudo, one thing is certain, Katharine Kaye always comes
prepared to work hard. In
addition to her interest in kobudo Sempai Katharine holds
the rank of Ni Dan (FSKA) in Shotokan Karate, and at the
end of this years camp Katharine successfully graded
attaining the kobudo rank of Ni Kyu.
-
-
- Sensei
makes a point
- Larry Gilbert gets
a few comments from Sensei Tamayose during the
morning session on the bo kata, Shushi No Kun Sho. A hard worker whenever
he steps onto the dojo floor, Larry always sets a great
example for other students to follow. This year Larry
successfully graded for the rank of San kyu and I suspect
that by the end of the next camp he too will be grading
for the rank of Sho Dan and the title of Sempai.
-
-
- Bo
basic number four
- Both Colleen and I
have plenty of company as Sensei Tamayose takes the group
through all ten bo basics during the afternoon session.
Done correctly this series of one hundred movements will
take the average student approximately thirty to forty
minutes to complete and it certainly makes for a great
warm up prior to doing any bo kata.
-
-
- Well
done Eddie - not bad for 72 years young
- Eddie Lettinga is
the type of person who never quits. Born in 1935 Eddie
first approached Sensei Nicholson one day at the local
post office and asked if he could join the dojo. That was
many months ago and today Eddie is a 6th kyu in Goju-Ryu
karate and due to grade again very soon. Kobudo has also
become a an important part of Eddie's life. As you can
see by these two photographs, whether working in front of
the class, or working just as hard as the Dan ranks,
Eddie's attitude and his approach to training helps
brings out the best in all of us. At the end of this
years summer camp Eddie successfully graded for the rank
of San kyu and Sensei Tamayose made a special point of
speaking to everyone about his admiration for Eddie's
dedication at the conclusion of the grading.
-
-
-
- Working
with the senior belts
- Sensei Tamayose
spent an equal amount of time working with all ranks
during the camp. Here Sensei works with the senior belts
taking them through the bo kata, Sakagawa
No Kun Sho. As always Sensei Tamayose leads by example
and the senior students made every effort to keep
pace, while at the same time still maintaining a high
standard of technique.
-
-
- What
the bo basics are all about
- Sensei Tamayose and
Sensei Nicholson are seen here demonstrating the one of
the purposes for bo basic number ten. The block takes
place on the thrust, which is then followed but a jodan
strike to the top of the attacker's head. This, and other
clear demonstrations of the bo basics in action, helped
many of the students throughout the weekend to clearly
visualize what the basic techniques were for when it came
time to practice on their own.
-
-
- Near
the end of the kata
- Here
Marilyn Norman, who holds the rank of San Dan (FSKA) in
Shotokan Karate, is watched very carefully by Sensei
Tamayose as Marilyn draws near to the end of the bo kata,
Shushi No Kun Sho. This is the first bo kata taught in
the Tesshinkan syllabus and it contains many of the
movements found in the ten bo basics. Which is precisely
why the bo basics are so thoroughly taught to every
student before they proceed to learning a kata. Marilyn
also took the opportunity to grade at the end of this
years camp successfully attaining the rank of San Kyu.
-
-
- Waiting
their turn
- Sempai's
Rainer Todsen and Sempai Jim Luck, both Ni Dan's, are
seen here waiting for their turn on the dojo floor.
Sempai Rainer, seen on the right in this photograph, is
to be congratulated for passing his grading on the last
day of camp and being promoted to the rank of San Dan. I
had the pleasure of Sempai Rainer's company on Friday
afternoon when we both enjoyed a private three hour
lesson with Sensei Tamayose.
-
-
- Two
Ni Dan's hard at work
- Sempai's
Rainer Todsen and Sempai Jim Luck, are seen here being
closely evaluated by Sensei Tamayose as they go through
the second bo kata taught in the Tesshinkan syllabus,
Sakagawa No Kun Sho. Both of these students have trained
with Sensei Nicholson for many years and both Sempai
Rainer and Sempai Jim also hold Dan rank in Goju-Ryu
Karate.
-
-
- Maezato
No Tekko
- This
tekko kata also occupied a good deal of our training time
each day. Throughout the weekend each student received
some one on one time with Sensei Tamayose, as he wanted
to be sure that all aspects of the kata were fully
understood by everyone, regardless of rank. Here Jennifer
has the benefit of his methodical way of teaching, and
his hands on approach. Sensei always made sure that each
nuance of the kata was fully appreciated by one and all.
-
-
- Exact
placement is so important
- The proper
placement of your feet and hands is critical to
understanding the proper what, when, and why, of any
movement in any kata. Here Sensei Tamayose makes a sure
that Chelsea and everyone else is in proper form before
moving on to the next technique. A very self motivated
and dedicated student, Chelsea passed her brown belt exam
on the last day of camp. Congratulations Chelsea it was
well earned.
-
-
- Age
is not usually a factor
- One of the great
advantages of kobudo is that you can start at almost any
age. While health and physical fitness can obviously be a
factor for some people, age alone should not be. Here we
see Sensei Tamayose making some minor adjustments in Mrs.
Darcy's tekko kata. As one Sensei Nicholson's dedicated
students Mrs. Darcy trains in both kobudo and karate on a
regular basis.
-
-
- Grading
on Sunday
- All of the students
in this photograph graded on Sunday evening and I am
pleased to say that each one of them passed. After more
than ten hours of hard training during this weekend
course everyone looked very sharp during the grading. I
think when it was all said and done Sensei Tamayose was
pleased by everyone's effort.
-
-
- Cathy
leads the way
- Maezato
No Tekko always requires a great deal of concentration
and Sempai Cathy Quinn, who holds the rank of San Dan (FSKA)
in Shotokan Karate, always leads by example. As a new
member of the Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan, Cathy will be
eligible to grade in two years time and I know she is
already looking forward to it with great anticipation.
-
-
- The
reason why
- Colleen Nicholson
watches carefully as Sensei Tamayose explains the purpose
for a particular movement. Sheya also pays close
attention. Both students successfully graded on the final
day of camp and both students were promoted to the rank
of Sho Dan.
-
-
- Good
form
- In addition to her
new rank in the Tesshinkan, Colleen also holds the rank
of Ni Dan in Goju-Ryu Karate. In both kobudo and karate
Sempai Colleen is known for her attention to detail and
her excellent technique.
-
-
- His
first camp
- Sensei Tamayose
always made sure that even the newest student in the dojo
got plenty of one on one attention, as Graham Arts found
out over the weekend on more than one occasion. Graham
joined our Shotokan dojo last year and he has been
progressing very well. He too came away from his first
camp all smiles and looking forward to next year, just
like everyone else.
-
-
- Leading
by example
- Throughout the
weekend there were many occasions when Sensei Tamayose
personally lead the students through the various basics
and katas, affording everyone an opportunity to see
exactly how the katas and the techniques should be done.
All of us admired Sensei's great skill and his obvious
dedication to the art of kobudo.
-
-
- Chikin
Shitahaku No Sai
- Chikin
Shitahaku No Sai was next, and once again constant
repetition was the order of the day. I for one lost count of
the number of times we did this particular kata over the
weekend. Both long and complex, Chikin
Shitahaku No Sai is one of several katas that are
required of any student wishing to grade for the rank of
Sho Dan. Sensei Tamayose's gaze was exacting and he
always made sure that each student's posture, stance, and
hand positions were satisfactory to him before we were
allowed to go on to the next movement. Over the course of
the weekend his expectations rose considerably and all of
the students made ever effort to try and meet his very
high standards.
-
-
- Waiting
their turn
- The
Dan ranks and those senior kyu ranks who were grading for
Sho Dan this year received particularly close scrutiny
from Sensei Tamayose when it was their turn on the dojo
floor. Here Sempai Rainer Todsen, Sempai Mac Newton,
Sheya Eno, Colleen Nicholson, and Sempai Jim Luck wait
their turn. This year Sempai Rainer was promoted to San
Dan, Sempai Mac was promoted to Ni Dan, and Sheya and
Colleen were both promoted to Sho Dan. My congratulations
to one and all.
-
-
- Sensei
and Sempai
- During
a short break in the afternoon training session Sensei
Martin Nicholson took Katharine Kaye through the finer
points of the
sai kata, Chikin Shitahaku No Sai. In
addition to her interest in kobudo Katharine holds the
rank of Ni Dan (FSKA) in Shotokan Karate and she, along
with about a dozen other students, took the opportunity
to grade at the end of camp, at which time Katharine
successfully attained the rank of Ni Kyu which I am sure
will only deepen her interest in kobudo.
-
-
- Akamine
No Nunchaku
- Marilyn
Norman is seen here going through the first nunchaku kata
that Sensei Tamayose teaches called, Maezato No Nunchaku.
This kata is required to be performed by any student
seeking to grade for first, second, or third kyu (brown
belt).
-
-
- No
place to hide
- Colleen Nicholson
and Sheya Eno are seen here being watched very closely by
Sensei Tamayose as they go through the nunchaku kata,
Akamine No Nunchaku. This is one of several katas that
are required when grading for the rank of Sho Dan and it
is the second nunchaku kata that is taught in the
Tesshinkan syllabus.
-
-
- One
on one with Sensei Tamayose
- At
this years camp Sempai Rainer took the opportunity to
grade for the rank of San Dan. Part of his grading
requirements included the tunfa kata, Hama Higa No Tunfa.
This is a very complex kata requiring excellent hand and
body co-ordination and a very clear understanding of
where the blocks should be, and just as importantly, why
they need to be there. Sempai Rainer is a dedicated
student and he came away from his lesson with Sensei
Tamayose with a much greater appreciation of all that
this kata entails.
-
-
- Hung
out to dry
- The
yard around the dojo was dotted several times a day with
fence posts sprouting gis everywhere you looked. Class
each day went from 10:00 am - noon, then from 2:00 pm - 4:00
pm, then from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, by which time there was
definitely not a dry spot left on any gi in sight. At the
end of each session the gis were placed in the sun while
we retreated to the comfort of the shade for a lot of
water, a bite to eat, a lot more water, and some much
needed rest.
-
- On
the second day of camp class began once again at 10:00 am
and followed the same pattern as the day before. Bo
basics, followed by kata, followed by corrections,
followed by group kata, followed by more corrections,
followed by more kata, followed by more corrections,
followed by - you guessed it - a lot more kata.
-
-
- Three
very tired friends
- By
the end of the camp we were all very tired, very sore,
and extremely happy that we has once again taken the time
to train with, and learn from, one of the true masters of
Okinawan kobudo, Sensei Hidemi Tamayose.
-
- Katharine
and Marilyn have both been training with me for close to
twelve years. Their desire to learn is also matched by
their willingness to take what they have learnt back to
the dojo and to share it with everyone else. Over the
years we three and the members of our respective families
have also become good friends, and for the three of us
next year can't come soon enough.
-
-
- Old
friends
- My
good friend Sensei Martin Nicholson is seen here with me
at the end of another wonderful three days of training at
his dojo. Martin and I have been friends since we met at
a dojo more than twenty-five years ago and it is always a
pleasure to share the same floor with him. My three hour
private lesson with Sensei Tamayose on Friday afternoon
is a memory that neither my body nor my mind will soon
forget, and as always I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank
you Martin.
-
-
- The
grading Sunday evening
- As
usual the kyu grading and the Dan grading were set to
start on Sunday evening at 6:00 pm. This year twelve
students took the opportunity to step onto the dojo floor
and demonstrate their skill to Sensei Tamayose and Sensei
Nicholson. I am pleased to say that all of the students
did very well, and each one of them was rewarded for
their efforts with a passing grade.
-
-
- A
few final words
- Sensei
Tamayose and I share a private moment after he awarded me
my rank on Sunday evening. His kind comments to each of
the students throughout the course of the weekend was a
clear indication of his strong desire to see each of his
students do their very best. His quiet demeanour, his
positive attitude, and his genuine sincerity, make him a
teacher you are truly proud to follow.
-
-
- Certificate
of rank
- Obtaining the rank
of Ni Kyu in Okinawan Kobudo from Sensei Tamayose was
indeed one of the more memorable experiences in my twenty-nine
years as a martial artist. I hold the rank of Go Dan in
Shotokan Karate (FSKA) from Shihan Kenneth Funakoshi,
Chief Instructor of the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate
Association, and like Shihan Funakoshi, Sensei Tamayose's
very high standards, and his ability to draw out the best
in you makes training under his watchful eye a both a
privilege, and challenge.
-
- I am very pleased
to be a member of the Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan and to
have the opportunity to study this original Okinawan
martial art under the guidance of such an excellent
kobudo teacher as Sensei Tamayose. Where ever he travels
Sensei Tamayose brings to those students fortunate enough
to train with him, a wealth of knowledge, and his undying
passion for all that the art of Okinawan kobudo has to
offer. He is an unsurpassed teacher with the rare gift of
being able to truly convey his message, and the art of
kobudo, to all of the students he comes in contact with,
regardless of their rank or their personal experience.
-
-
- With
our teacher - thank you Sensei Tamayose
- At the end of what
can only be described as another wonderful weekend of
camaraderie, and very wet gi's, the five of us, Graham,
myself, Cathy, Katharine, and Marilyn, took the
opportunity to pose for a photograph with Sensei Tamayose.
-
- I would like to
take this opportunity on behalf of the five of us to once
again thank Sensei Tamayose for his time, and for his
knowledge, we are extremely grateful for both, and all of
us look forward to seeing him here again next year.
-
